I agree with your comments. A really good read on this is The Last
Hours of Ancient Sunlight by Thom Hartmann. As he notes, The end of
oil will be a main factor in adjustment. The earth can sustainably
accommodate approx 1 billion people living somewhere between our
lifestyle and an indigenous lifestyle. Another great read is
Sustainable Operating Systems/ The Post Petrol Paradigm by Michael
Richards. If all else fails read Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer.
Daryl Andersen
On Sep 25, 2008, at 10:56 PM, Thomas Mathews wrote:
> Cindy,
>
> You note that ". . . economic prosperity, as we currently define
> it, depends on growth."
>
> This summarizes the problem perfectly. Our mainstream economists
> define a healthy economy as being a growing economy. A recession is
> defined as a cessation of economic growth.
>
> Yet it occurs even to bright middle school students that on a
> finite planet endless growth is impossible. But being an "adult"
> means denying this obvious fact.
>
> In an underdeveloped country, economic growth is needed just to
> provide enough for everyone. But in over-developed regions like the
> US, growth serves mainly to provide more wealth for the already
> rich. And despite the events of the past two weeks, it is the rich
> who run the country, including its media, and who keep alive the
> myth that growth equals prosperity.
>
> We clearly need a new economics, one which defines prosperity as
> sufficiency, not growth.
>
> Richard Douthwaite has written a very good book whose title
> summarizes these issues. (The Growth Illusion: How economic growth
> has enriched the few, impoverished the many, and endangered the
> planet, New Society Publishers, 1992, 1999.)
>
> Tom
>
>
>
> Looking for simple solutions to your real-life financial
> challenges? Check out WalletPop for the latest news and
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